Line Level Shifters- are they necessary?

[petejt]

I want to run a line level +dB signal into the front end of my amp (-10dB). Basically I'm using one amp's preamp signal as the dirt box for the front end of another amp.

I tried it out using a parametric equaliser in between, to lower the signal level. It worked, but it felt a bit odd.

I've read up on a device called the Ebtech LLS-2 Line Level Shifter. Has anyone here used this device?

The thing is, I feel a little awkward about it after reading the following review, which was not exactly glowing...

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Ebtech LLS2 Line Level Shifter (2 channel) reviews
1 out of 10

"all hype"

Quality:
cant tell

Value:
please dont be duped into buying this hum elimination crap.. chase your wires down set it up right in the first place and dont waste your money on gimmics like i just did

Desirability:
hype

Sound:
i have a teac x7 reel to reel that operates at -10 and i dump the stereo track into logic at +4 through an apogee da 16x. ive always had to turn up the output of the tape deck past unity gain to get a strong signal in logic and this product advertised an 11 db passive gain with a built in hum eliminator..sounded like a winner. 75$ seemed liked a fair price to strengthen the rather low fi signal and reduce the noise in my less than perfect set up. however upon pugging into the box my system immediately picked up a strong persistent 60hz hum. i thought maybe i had a wire crossed somewhere i check my entire set up no long cable runs no crappy cables...i decided to plow ahead and hear this passive 11db gain they advertised.. more like a 10db drop. what a crock. what a complete waste of time and energy. i feel like ive been conned out of 75 bucks with nothing to show for it but a black box that makes things sound worse than they already did

Ease of Use:
4 inserts points.."
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[wIsEbLooD]

what is your setup?
if you are using a line out on the amp just try using any pedal as a buffer. eq pedals work great because they have a level adj.
you can build a line out box that runs off a speaker tap that you can control the output very easily, that is what i use on an amp without a line out.
hotplate works well for this too.

 

[petejt]

what is your setup?
if you are using a line out on the amp just try using any pedal as a buffer. eq pedals work great because they have a level adj.
you can build a line out box that runs off a speaker tap that you can control the output very easily, that is what i use on an amp without a line out.
hotplate works well for this too.

Guitar-> some pedals -> Mesa/Boogie MarkIV. The MarkIV has a 'Satellite Send' which is tapped from the preamp (so therefore it's line level, +4dB). I want this Satellite Send to run through two more pedals, and then into the Low input of my Marshall JCM 800.

The idea is to run the Marshall completely clean, and use the MarkIV's Satellite Send for the distortion when set to the Lead channel.
I got the idea from Mark Day talking about John Albani's rig, where he used a Furman(?) EQ for the dirt in front of a completely clean Marshall. It worked like a charm.



I tried it last night with a parametric EQ, and I felt that it sucked the tone a little bit. Maybe it was shite cables...I dunno. But it also looked clumsy. I have a small graphic EQ pedal, but wouldn't that suck the tone even more? I was hesitant to try it, but maybe going by your suggestion I'll give it a go after lunch. Thanks.

I'll take some photos too to show what I mean.

 

[petejt]

I just tried it with a basic graphic EQ pedal and it worked a treat! I'm really glad now as I don't have to buy an extra piece of gear, and can make use of my EQ pedal.

Now I just get onto that damn MIDI programming...

 

[JohnnyC]

pete...jaycar sell a $20 DI box which has a switch that can lift or pad your signal